Essays due Nov. 30
By Sandra Jordan Of the St. Louis American
If you know of a child who has been teased because of his/her teeth, or one who is embarrassed to show his pearly whites n here is one way he can straighten up his “grill” using the power of the pen in an essay contest that would make anyone smile.
Two St. Louis orthodontists are asking children to write down their thoughts in 100 words or less and tell them why they need braces. Based on the responses, several lucky kids will receive those braces for free from Orthocare Systems Orthodontics.
Orthocare is private practice of E. Glenn Glassman D.D.S. and Christine Brinley D.M.D., M.S.D. Orthocare is donating $50,000 in free braces to local children whose families may not otherwise be able to afford them. Braces costs between $5,000 and $9,000 these days and may be needed anywhere from six months to three years.
“Everybody deserves a beautiful smile, but not everybody can afford braces to help make that a reality,” said Glassman, founder of Orthocare. “There is nothing more captivating than the smile of a happy child, and we want to help give children the confidence to smile every day.”
Elementary and middle school children are eligible to enter the contest, which runs through the end of November. Afterward, a panel of judges comprised of orthodontic physicians and behavioral therapists will review the essays. The children selected will receive complete orthodontic work n a full diagnosis, treatment, custom-fitted braces, follow-up consultation and a beautiful smile, all at no cost to their families.
“It is recommended that a child first be seen by an orthodontist between the ages of 7 and 9,” Glassman said. “However, one of every five orthodontic patients is an adult because they were denied proper orthodontic care as children. Our goal in donating these braces is about more than providing free orthodontic care to children n it’s about spreading the message that early orthodontic treatment has long-lasting effects on the way a person feels about his or her smile.”
Include in the essay:
•The name of the child writing the essay,
•The name of the child’s parent or guardian,
•How you heard about the contest, and
•A phone number or email address where the parent/guardian can be reached.
Essays should be mailed, along with a non-returnable picture of the child’s face to:
Dr. Glenn Glassman, 7711 Bonhomme Ave, #400, St. Louis, MO 63105.